Ole Miss rises to No. 19 in AP Top 25 poll

One week after tumbling in the AP Top 25 poll because of a loss to Memphis, the Ole Miss Rebels are back on the rise.

The Rebels (6-2, 3-1 SEC) moved up five spots to No. 19 in the Week 9 poll, which was released Sunday. Ole Miss earned the promotion after suffocating then-ranked No. 15 Texas A&M, 23-3, on Saturday night in Oxford. Even without star defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche, the Rebels swamped the Aggies’ typically high-octane offense.

Ole Miss also moved up in the Amway Coaches Poll, rising two spots from No. 23 to No. 21.

The Rebels climbed as high as No. 3 in the AP poll after defeating Alabama earlier this season, and despite losses to Florida and Memphis, the Rebels still control their destiny in the SEC West. They travel to Auburn this coming weekend, before finishing with Arkansas, LSU and Mississippi State. Four wins, and the Rebels will be in Atlanta to play for the SEC championship and possibly a spot in the College Football Playoff.